Parthenocissus quinquefolia and its attractive autumn colour
It’s that time of year again when the legacy of the previous owners rears its ugly head, or should I say ever-creeping tendrils. We have a fence that is just over 5ft tall and it is shrouded in Parthenocissus quinquefolia. A vigorous climber is an understatement for a plant that can happily cover whole buildings if given the chance. Our small fence, in comparison, just isn’t enough to satisfy its ambitions.
Climbing skyward through the apple tree
‘Why don’t you get rid of it?’, I hear you say. Well that’s the second problem, you see there is a slight difference of opinion in the Welly household as to the fate of said climber. I think it should go, to be replaced by something less rampant. Wellyman, on the other hand, wants it to stay. He loves the colours in autumn and the fact that it creates a mass of foliage along the fence. I agree that the autumnal hues are lovely and that it is a shame to remove an established plant that would create a large bare patch until something else could replace it. However, the Virginia creeper puts on so much growth during the summer, it’s like something out of the Triffids. It makes a bid for anything in its wake, such as the crab apple and the fatsia, wrapping its long stems around another plant’s branches. Every month or so during the summer, unless we want to be engulfed by the stuff, I have to get in with the secateurs and cut it back in a vain attempt to control it.
After a fraught battle with it last summer, I declared that Wellyman was in sole charge of it, otherwise it was coming out. He agreed that was reasonable but of course practicalities get in the way. He is out at work every day and comes home to several hours of Open University study, allowing little time for plant wrestling. Invariably, when he has free time it’s raining. So there lies the problem. I stand at the sink washing up almost being able to see the dreaded plant inch its way through my garden. I go to the shed and see its tendrils crawling through the tree. I drop off the veg peelings at the compost bin and see it moving skyward. Hopefully, there will be a dry spell this weekend which will mean Wellyman gets the chance to attack it, as it’s no longer within my reach anyway.
I’m sure we’re not alone in this battle of wills regarding the garden. I know a couple who share an allotment but they’ve divided it into two parts so they have one section each to avoid disagreements. To be fair, Wellyman does leave most garden and allotment decisions to me as I’m generally the one doing the work but for some reason the Virginia creeper is a sticking point.
But I think what niggles me the most is the fact that the previous owners picked the least interesting variety to grow. If you want a plant that aspires to world domination at least pick the prettiest. Parthenocissus henryana is less vigorous than quinquefolia, although it still grows up to 9 metres tall. It has much more delicate foliage, which is darker and thicker with a velvety texture and has silvery white veins. Now if this was growing up against our fence maybe I would be less inclined to remove it.
Yes the henryana is the prettier of the two but almost as intrusive. If you do manage to get it out could you quickly replace it with a late flowering clematis? C. tangutica covers a large area and provides lots of interest in autumn with its mustard coloured flowers?
I think I’d have to have my way if I were the one having to do battle with it, but then again, if Wellyman only expresses an interest in a few things in the garden and this is one of them, is it really fair to deny him? I think you’re stuck with it.
It’s very useful to know practical things like how this or that plant grows, so thank you Wellywoman! My neighbour has the more delicated one growing up his house and it goes bright red int he autumn – very nice – though he has to periodically cut it down so it doesn’t clog the drains! Maybe you could get one variety replaced with the other. At least it’s not Russian vine!
ah the ignorant gardener…I too have picked some bad choices in the garden to regret it as they take over and I have to beg the non-gardener to rip them out ever year…he doesn’t care what I plant as long as he doesn’t have to work to hard to care for it….he has come a long way as the maintainer of the pond, containers and veg garden water boy…oh and any back breaking digging as long as it is in the early morning before it is hot…
was glad to leave our neighbour’s Virginia creeper behind when we changed gardens. The colour IS glorious, but I’d rather admire it elsewhere, when out walking!
Disagreements are, I fear, somewhat inevitable. The Flâneur Husband has certain opinions that differ from mine, and though I can normally get my way – because I do all the work in the garden – there have to be compromises.
Still, the object has to be to create a place for both to enjoy, so I guess it’s all about making the right compromises.
Virginia creeper is lovely, in someone elses garden! So glad it isn’t me having to do battle with it, in a way, I am so lucky that my husband isn’t the least bit interested in gardening, so all the plants are my choice or my mistakes!
Virginia creeper is lovely growing in someone elses garden, I always admire my next door neighbours!! Would it be possible for your husband to keep it trimmed as he likes it so much?
Hi Pauline, He went out last night after work and cut it back. It’s more that because he’s out so much that he doesn’t notice it climbing everywhere so I ended up just cutting it back. The compromise we’ve come to is I suggest it needs tackling and hopefully he gets round to doing it!!
A tough one, in every sense! I hope that he manages to keep it in control, under your gentle powers of suggestion :)